http://www.wildernessmag.co.nz/view/page/articles/read/eruption-to-cost-doc-upwards-of-500-000/
so the track has to be back to great walk standard and we have to wait for doc to come up with the money and do the repairs before they reopen it?
Had DOC at some point decided not to replace the hut as quickly as the Tongariro National Park Management Plan for 2006-2016 suggested was likely to happen?
Because if that was still likely to go ahead, I'd have thought replacement money would have already been set aside to cover the depreciation. Only for the hut, mind you, and maybe not so much surrounding tracks.
so will anyone walk the crossing in protest against doc "closing the track" illegally...
It doesn't seem like a very smart thing to do.
Seems to me we're probably lucky the media and the masses believe DOC can close tracks, when they legally can't.
Because if the media and talkback rabble knew DOC didn't have the power to close tracks, they'd be clammering for DOC to get that power every time something went wrong. Then we'd really be stuffed. Being allowed to legally fly under the radar ain't so bad, is it?
I don't really think that, but I agree it's a delicate line. I don't really care if the media thinks DOC can close places (as long as they don't make a big thing out of something incorrect), but I get annoyed when I see DOC act as if it *can* close them in cases where it can't. That just indoctrinates the uninitiated into thinking and accepting from the beginning that their right to enter land is strictly controlled by the government, when it isn't, and in my mind that's a slow but slippery slope to much easier change. For the rights to continue, new visitors need to be able to feel comfortable visiting areas that aren't enshrined by DOC as visitor-padded places, but for that to happen people also need to believe they're allowed to.
I need to throw in a correction, because it turns out that S57 of the Conservation Act lets the Minister delegate various powers (including 'closing' stuff) back to DOC if the Minister so chooses... even if DOC still isn't doing whatever paperwork authorisation is needed in most cases.
I asked the Minister's office for an idea of how often this happens (as in something like "never" to "there's a permanent delegation to the Director General"). I'm presently waiting to hear back.
Considering Te Mari crater could remain active for some time and the fact that the new crater is on the western flank of the old one, I think they really need to consider whether the route of the existing track is appropriate. The whole section above bushline is quite vulnerable and the track crosses lahar paths lower down. I wouldn't recommend anyone go up there at the moment. Having experienced an ash shower from the 1996 Ruapehu eruption, I can assure you that volcanic ash is not pleasant. Eruptions are best viewed from a distance. If you want to have a look see at the moment, it'd probably be safer to approach the area from over top of North Crater, or better still, take some binoculars and view it from the top of Pihanga of over by Rotopounamu somewhere.
For the long term, one wonders if they should re route the track out west, maybe from the top of the zig zag, or from the top of Tongariro. But then there is that pesky private land block at Ketetahi springs......
I think it's giving off tonnes of sulphur dioxide gas at the moment, that is potentially lethal in high enough concentrations. if the wind was in the right direction could be a health hazzard....
te mari has been the most active vent in recent history on that side of the mountain. no sign of it stopping venting at present... the doc article only talks about repairing the existing track,,, will it take more eruption damage for them to decide it's time to reroute the track and or relocate the hut? if i were doc i'd do basic repairs on the track for now and build another track that is further from the crater... th hut will probably be a long time before it's sorted let alone the track... do havent mentioned under what threshold of volcanic activity they will open the track, begs more questions. will tehy reopen while te mari still vents? or are they wanting the venting to reduce more along the lines of kitetahi before they will reopen....
All DOC assets have value, and when inspected by qualified staff the question is always asked "...what is the estimated life of the asset'...the inspection also generates an amount be put aside {albeit "paper value'}as depreciation.NZFS days nobody knew how much assets (huts)were worth let alone the value of maintaining tracks , structures, fences ,roads etc
Nowadays there is a clear picture of what DOC has under its umbrella asset wise . Even fences are included.
The interesting part of this is that the Tongariro Crossing (in my estimation anyway) is a tourist destination, that generates a lot of revenue for DOC and concessions , buses, guides etc , so dont be surprised if DOC get in fairly quickly with a commitment to repair as soon as poss.
The unfortunate result of this , when it happens , means that every conservancy in Aotearoa will be cut some of its budget to meet the cost of the crossing repairs.Which of course means less done at coservancy level.
DOC wont want to have the track "shut" ,"closed" over the Tourist season.
dont they just go to eqc and ask for the money
